This application claims the priority of German patent Application No. 100 44 867.4 filed Sep. 12, 2000, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The invention relates to an explosive-triggered RF beam source, having a pulse-generation device with a coil, which includes a liner and windings, an explosive material located in the liner, and a fuze for igniting the explosive material.
RF (Radio Frequency) beam sources, also referred to as HPM (High Power Microwave) sources, are known for the non-lethal destruction, interference or screening of targets. For these purposes, the RF beam sources can be accommodated in a carrier system, such as a warhead.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,827 describes an RF beam source in a projectile. The current required to generate a high emission frequency is stored in a pulse-shaping device prior to the firing of the projectile. The pulse-shaping device is formed by a coil, a dielectric rod and a dielectric material. The pulse-shaping device is discharged via a nanosecond switch. By way of this switch, the generated pulse is fed into an antenna located in the projectile, which radiates the pulse through the projectile housing and toward the target. In one exemplary embodiment, a plurality of pulse-shaping devices is disposed in the projectile. The total attainable power is about 12 MW.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,452 describes an electron-accelerated microwave applicator for a plasma source. Here, the high energy is realized through the acceleration of the generated plasma electrons as they pass gaps of the slotted applicator, which is electrically connected to an antenna. U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,014, which ensues from the above-cited U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,452, also describes an applicator of this nature.
DE 41 41 516 A1 describes an electrical pulse generator having a saturatable inductive reactance. To shape pulses, a coaxial line is loaded through a magnetic compression, and relieved via a magnetic switch having a saturatable inductive reactance, which shapes pulses.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,079 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,695 disclose circuits that generate and amplify microwaves. Transistors that transmit the microwaves to an antenna are integrated into a Marx generator for attaining high frequencies.
German patent reference DE 199 59 358 discloses an autonomous RF beam source that is triggered by an explosive material. Here, a fuse of a magnetic flux compressor is ignited by a battery, with time or impact control, and the highly-explosive material located in the liner ruptures the coil body in a conventional manner, whereby the individual windings are short-circuited consecutively. On the output side, the flux compressor is connected to an amplifier unit, which amplifies the generated voltage and transmits it to a UWB chopper via a high-pressure spark gap for generating pulses. The pulses are then radiated at the target by way of a broadband antenna that is adapted with the cable resistance of the UWB pulse.
It is the object of the invention, to provide a simple, explosive-triggered RF beam souse that simultaneously permits an increase in the high frequency and is able to radiate.
The above object generally is accomplished according to the present invention by an explosive-triggered RF beam source, having a pulse-generation device with a coil, which includes a liner and windings, and with an explosive material located in the liner and ignited by a fuze; and wherein an element that supports plasma formation is disposed in a region between the coil body and the liner, and the pulse-generation device is connected on the output side to a capacitive load functioning as an antenna, and/or an inductive load.
The concept underlying the invention is to construct an explosive-triggered RF beam source solely from a pulse generator or a pulse-generation device whose generated pulses are radiated directly at a target. The pulse generator is embodied as a magnetic flux compressor, and has a liner that is filled with an explosive material and is located in a coil. A capacitive load that is connected on the output side to the pulse generator is integrated into the RF beam source; the coil thereby forms an electrical resonating circuit with the capacitive load, and the capacitive load simultaneously functions as an antenna. The frequency generated in this resonating circuit can therefore be radiated directly. For this purpose, the housing of the RF beam source must be configured such that the generated frequencies can pass through it unimpeded. Furthermore, an element for increasing the power of the RF beam source is mounted in the region between the liner in the coil and the windings, which increases the number of free electrons for supporting the plasma formation and attaining a better conversion of chemical energy into high-frequency energy in order to induce a higher frequency.
Materials having a low electrical conductivity, a low bonding energy for electrons and rough surface structures with material peaks in the range of a few micrometers (xcexcm) are suitable as means for forming a plasma.
A further option for increasing plasma formation is to increase the electrical field intensity in the region between the coil and the explosive-triggered short-circuit device with a corresponding embodiment of the coil structure.
The generation of a vacuum for reducing the ambient pressure where the liner opens in the region between the coil and the explosive-triggered short-circuit device likewise has a positive effect on the formation of free electrons.
Moreover, a background gas that is beneficial for plasma formation can be introduced into the region between the coil and the explosive-triggered short-circuit device.
The invention is described in detail by way of exemplary embodiments.